travel-tips – wonderland

DUBLIN, Aug 5 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — There are some iconic destinations that never go out of style, such as Venice, Aspen, Kyoto or Ibiza, but in recent years the desire to escape crowded tourist hotspots has grown just as quickly. More travellers are looking to enjoy the same breathtaking scenery and cultural experiences without the crowds, queues or higher prices.

This summer, the biggest travel trend isn’t swapping one crowded destination for another nearby; it’s crossing borders entirely.

Holafly’s first Travel Dupe Index identifies the best international alternatives to some of the world’s most iconic destinations by comparing visual and cultural similarity, accommodation costs, overtourism, accessibility and social momentum. Unlike traditional “dupe” rankings, every alternative is located in a different country from the destination it replaces, offering travellers a genuinely new experience while maintaining the same appeal.

The results reveal that the best alternative to Venice isn’t elsewhere in Italy, but Ghent, Belgium, whose medieval canals and historic architecture offer a remarkably similar atmosphere while experiencing significantly lower tourism pressure. The ranking also highlights alternatives such as Banff instead of Aspen, Jeonju instead of Kyoto, and Budva instead of Ibiza, with travellers saving up to 83% on accommodation depending on the destination.

Travel dupes are becoming an alternative to overtourism

As overtourism continues to affect many of the world’s best-known destinations, travellers are increasingly looking beyond obvious substitutes. Rather than replacing one crowded destination with another nearby, international travel dupes allow visitors to discover similar landscapes, architecture and cultural experiences while reducing costs and avoiding peak visitor numbers.

The world’s best travel dupes

Rank	Travel Dupe	Instead of

1	Ghent, Belgium	Venice, Italy

2	Banff, Canada	Aspen, United States

3	Jeonju, South Korea	Kyoto, Japan

4	Budva, Montenegro	Ibiza, Spain

5	Cascais, Portugal	Saint-Tropez, France

6	Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia	Lake Como, Italy

7	Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic	Tulum, Mexico

8	Menton, France	Amalfi Coast, Italy

9	Ciudad Perdida, Colombia	Machu Picchu, Peru

10	Siargao, Philippines	Bali, Indonesia

Methodology

To identify the world’s best travel dupes, Holafly compared ten iconic destinations with international alternatives using a weighted scoring model. Each destination pair was evaluated across five criteria: visual and cultural similarity (25%), measuring how closely the alternative replicates the look and feel of the original; accommodation savings (25%), based on average peak-season hotel prices; overtourism contrast (20%), comparing visitor pressure between the original destination and its alternative; accessibility (15%), considering flight availability and travel times; and social momentum (15%), analysing Instagram, TikTok and online search trends to identify emerging destinations.

To ensure the ranking highlighted genuinely new travel experiences, every alternative had to be located in a different country than the destination it replaces, with no more than two alternatives from the same country included in the final ranking. This methodology prioritises destinations that deliver a similar experience while providing better value, fewer crowds and the opportunity to discover somewhere new.

Media contact: press@holafly.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f1e0551-dbc0-4ba9-95f6-3c4ac7c55993

SOURCE: Holafly

–BERNAMA

^{During the Spring Festival holiday, Shanghai launched more than 2,570 featured cultural and tourism activities.}

SHANGHAI, Feb. 26, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

During the nine-day Year of the Horse Spring Festival holiday, Shanghai launched more than 2,570 featured cultural and tourism activities to promote travel to the bustling city, fueling a robust boom in Spring Festival cultural and tourism consumption as both visitor numbers and consumption in the cultural and tourism market saw steady growth.

Big data from Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism shows the city received a total of 21.6721 million visitor arrivals, an 8.36% year-on-year increase. Total tourism consumption reached 25.614 billion yuan, surging 20.90% from the previous year.

The average room occupancy rate of local hotels and guesthouses rose to 50.60%, up 3.10 percentage points year-on-year.

The promotion campaign leveraged the outcomes of the first high-level competition to introduce Shanghai’s tourism and integrated the city’s cultural, tourism, commerce, sports and exhibition resources.

Product innovation and transformation drove Shanghai’s Spring Festival cultural and tourism development this year, spawning a new trend of spending the Chinese New Year in the city.

Shanghai’s cultural and tourism authorities rolled out over 130 in-depth Spring Festival tour routes under three themes, which became bestsellers on OTAs via live-stream sales on major platforms. Inbound tourists from niche markets like Greece and Slovenia doubled, experiencing the unique charm of Jiangnan and Shanghai culture immersively.

Shanghai also created premium IPs such as the themed tour routes. With joint efforts of multiple departments, 353 themed activities were launched on the “Hu Xiaoyou” smart travel service platform. At the same time, science popularization and industrial tourism also gained traction, making Shanghai the top choice for enjoying the Spring Festival elsewhere besides the hometown.

Key cultural and commercial landmarks, including West Bund GATE M, Panlong Ancient Town and Zhangyuan Garden, held Spring Festival fairs and garden parties, creating new urban Chinese New Year rituals. For the first time, Shanghai hosted large-scale concerts during the holiday, with Richie Jen’s and Capper’s concerts drawing numerous fans from across the country.

The blend of Shanghai-style Chinese New Year vibes and trendy Chinese cultural elements boosted the festive folk atmosphere in the city. Centering on experiencing the vibe of ordinary life, Shanghai launched a city-wide lantern show campaign. The lantern shows at Yuyuan Garden and the Inlet lit up the city’s nights with stunning light displays.

Intangible cultural heritage fairs and master chefs’ kitchens were set up in urban cultural and tourism complexes and suburban ancient towns. Some high-end hotels have integrated intangible cultural heritage into one-stop stays that integrate accommodation, dining, and travel experiences. Local traditional delicacies such as Shanghai cuisine and Nanxiang steamed buns offered visitors authentic Chinese New Year flavors.

Looking forward, Shanghai will further integrate cultural and tourism resources, pursue continuous product innovation, boost the upgrading of cultural and tourism consumption, and let more people feel the hospitality and vitality of Shanghai’s cultural and tourism industry.

Source: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism

Tag: travel-tips

The world’s best travel “dupes” to avoid overtourism

Shanghai records growing tourist arrivals, spending during Spring Festival holiday